There are additional considerations of first aid attendants and the delivery of first aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Occupational first aid certificate holders have been granted a 90-day extension to OFA certificates expiring between Mar 1 and Jun 30. Certificates will be accepted in the workplace for 90 days beyond the original expiry date. Certificates will not be reprinted and no action is required to qualify for an extension. This information has been posted to worksafebc.com.
Ensure attendants receive training and education on how they should protect themselves, and proper disinfection protocols. Recommended PPE when attending an emergency includes mask, face shield, and gloves. Do a risk assessment to determine what other controls and PPE may be required in specific situations.
Particularly in environments where employers may not have a robust PPE program already in place, this is a common concern. When you provide first aid services to an injured worker, physical distancing is not typically possible. So it becomes a question of how you protect both workers from each other, should one of them actually have COVID-19. A facial covering such as a surgical mask is a helpful precaution but not always possible in an emergency situation. Based on consultation with the Public Health Office, temporary or transient close contact with another employee within the 2-metre range does elevate the risk slightly but does not typically turn that into a high-risk situation. Provided you have effective controls in place overall in the workplace, transient close contact in an emergency scenario is not considered high risk.
Yes, attendants should receive specific training and education on how they should protect themselves, and on proper disinfection protocols.
